DoT directs Telecom companies to deposit Rs 92000 crore by 14th Feb midnight
After being reprimanded by the Supreme Court, the Department of Telecommunications has directed the telecom companies to pay Rs 92,000 crore in arrears by midnight on Friday. The Department of Telecommunications ordered companies like Bharti Airtel, Vodafone and Idea to pay the adjusted gross revenue (AGR) arrears before midnight on Friday, 14th February.
According to an order from the Department of Telecommunications, companies have been asked to pay the arrears by 11.59 pm on Friday. The Department of Telecommunications has started sending notices to companies regarding dues on a circle basis. Earlier, the Supreme Court, hearing this in the day, expressed displeasure over non-compliance of its earlier order regarding payment of AGR dues. The Court also pulled out the Department of Telecommunications along with chalking out telecom companies.
A bench headed by Justice Arun Mishra warned telecom companies that the court could initiate contempt proceedings against them and government employees for not following orders. The apex court ordered the managing directors of Bharti Airtel, Vodafone, MTNL, BSNL, Reliance Communications, Tata Communications and other companies to appear before the court on 17 March.
The apex court also directed the Center to immediately withdraw the pass order on behalf of its desk officer, asking not to take strict action against the telecom companies. Justice Mishra also said that the telecom companies did not pay even one rupee and government officials want to stay the order. The Supreme Court held that if that order is not withdrawn within an hour, it is eligible to send the officer to jail. On 16 January, a bench of Justice Arun Mishra ordered the telecom companies to repay the adjusted gross revenue (AGR) to the government.
